Continuous metal casting machine



Nov. 19,1963 R. T. FAGG 3,110,941

CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING MACHINE Filed'Oct. 3, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 EatINVENTOR. fi/fi/AM 777 466 Arrow/v5 Y3 Nov. 19, 1963 R. T. FAGG3,110,941

con'rmuous METAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5. 1960 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2WATER COOLED DRIVING ROLLERS INV EN TOR.

Ham/a0 7510s BY 4 rro/e NE ys Nov. 19, 1963 R. T. FAGG commons METALCASTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 3, 1960 INVENTOR 0 775106 Il L if BY 2 ATTORNEYS O (I v 8. IE

Nov. 19, 1963 R. T. FAGG 3,110,941

CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 3, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Fla. 8

SPEED CONTROL MEANS INVENTOR. BYfi/CHA/EO T/ZGG w ATTORNEYS Nov. 19,1963 R. T. FYAGG 3,110,941

CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 3, 1960METAL BAND/ /a FIG. 11

INVENTOR. f/cHA/b .7 f7! ea A Tree N vs United States Patent 3,110,941CON'IINUOU METAL CASTING MAEI-IINE Richard Thomas Fagg, Riverside,Calih, assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Metal Climax, Inc, acorporation of New York Filed Oct. 3, 196i), Ser. No. 59,953 7 Claims.(Cl. 22-57.4)

This invention relates to continuous metal casting machines, moreparticularly to machines wherein the metal is cast in a continuouslymoving mold chamber formed of top and bottom bands and closed by sidebands.

One of the major problems inherent in a conventional metal castingmachine utilizing casting bands is apparently due in part to localizedbuckling of the metal band due to contact with the hot metal. When coldsheet metal, such as a water-cooled band, is brought into contact withthe molten metal, the surface of the sheet next to the hot metal becomeshotter than the surface exposed to the cold water. Expansion of the hotsides results in a bowing or buckling of the band in the direction ofthe hot metal. Simultaneously, the molten metal starts to solidify fromits surfaces inward; but because of the buckling of the metal band, heattransfer from the metal to the band is not uniform. This results in anirregular grain growth of the solidifying core of the metal. Thenonuniform cooling develops porous spots and a nonuniform density of thecast strip. This is particularly serious if the cast strip is to befabricated or rolled, as further working cannot be successful.

The problem is compounded by the fact that the metal being castundergoes substantial shrinkage as it changes from its liquid to itssolid state. If the metal being cast is aluminum, it passes through whatis termed a hot short state in which maximum shrinkage occurs, and themetal has virtually no tensional strength. This is par- I ticularly trueof many high strength aluminum alloys. The frictional contact betweenthe metal casting and the metal is such as to subject the metal beingcast to tensional loads sulficient to cause cracking of the product.

The objects of this invention seek to overcome the difficultiesoutlined, and include:

First, to provide a continuous metal casting machine wherein the upperand lower moving bands are capable of contracting as the metal cools.More particularly, these bands are formed of woven material so that asthe metal shrinks in passing from its liquid phase it is not required toslide relative to the casting bands; instead, the casting bands likewiseshrink, thus avoiding, or at least minimizing, tension loads on themetal, especially during its hot short period.

Second, to.,provide a continuous metal casting machine which utilizesfor the casting bands woven fiberglass backed by a chilling platen, theweave of the fiberglass being superficially interlocked mechanicallywith the surface of the metal so that the woven fabric gathers uniformlyas the metal shrinks, without developing wrinkles.

Third, to provide a continuous metal casting machine wherein the wovenfiberglass casting belts functions as a heat barrier to control heattransfer from the molten metal to the platen, to minimize thermal shockon the cooling platen and eliminate thermal fatigue of the surface ofthe cooling platen; and furthermore controlling the rate of heatextraction from the solidifying metal thereby producing a more uniformgrain structure in the cast product.

Fourth, to provide a continuous metal casting machine which incorporatesnovel edge casting bands or dams which move inward between the top andbottom casting bands to compensate for lateral shrinkage of the metalbeing cast. 7

Fifth, to provide on the whole a continuous metal cast- 3,11%,94lPatented Nov. 19, 1963 ing machine which produces a particularlyuniform, high strength product ideally suitable for further working.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of the continuous metal casting machine, showingthe metal-receiving end thereof with the metal supply nozzle andreservoir removed, and indicating by broken lines the manner in whichthe upper part of the machine is tilted;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, showing theentrance end of the machine, with the metal reservoir and nozzle alsoshown fragmentarily;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the machine takensubstantially through 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional View taken substantiallythrough 44 of FIGURE 3, showing one of the edge casting assemblies;

FIGURE 5 is a further enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view through 5-5of FIGURE'4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view through 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a substantially diagrammatical plan view of the machine;

FIGURE 9 is a substantially thereof;

FIGURE 10 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, front view of one of theguide bars, indicating the ribs therein which tend to spread the castingband;

FIGURE 11 is a still further enlarged, fragmentary, sectional viewthereof, taken through 11-11 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatical, plan view of oneof the woven casting belts to indicate the manner in which the fabricshrinks longitudinally and transversely with the metal as the metalcools;

FIGURE 13 is -a greatly exaggerated, fragmentary, sectional view,showing the relationship of a platen, fabric belt, and the metal cast;

FIGURE 14 is another fragmentary, sectional view, similar to FIGURE 13but at a reduced scale, showing a modified fabric belt with anunderlying metal band.

The continuous metal casting machine rests on a base frame 1 whichincludes a pair of spaced vertical plates 2. Inwardly of the verticalplates 2 is a pair of adjustable vertical plates 3, the position ofwhich is determined by adjustment screws 4. The adjustable verticalplates 3 support between their upper ends a bottom platen 5 in which isincorporated suitable ducts or a chamber 6 for the circulating of acoolant, such as water.

'Rear-wardly of the platen 5 is a water-cooled drive roller 7. At theforward end of the platen 5 is a semicircular guide bar '8. Below thedrive roller 7 and guide bar 8 are guide rollers 9 which, with the driveroller 7 and guide bar 8-, define a rectangle around which is wrapped acasting band Ill. The casting band is formed of woven material and willbe described in more detail hereinafter. Between the guide rollers 9 isa skewing roller 11 which may be positioned slightly out of parallelwith the guide rollers 9 so as to effect lateral adjustment of thecasting band 10.

At one side of the vertical plates 2 is a mounting bracket structure 12which pivotally supports a frame structure 13 on a pivot shaft 14. Theframe structure 13 includes spaced side plates 15, which are connectedat their lower ends by a top platen 16 similar to the bottom platen 5except that it is somewhat shorter. Suitable cooling ducts or a coolingchamber 17 are provided within the top platen 16.

Rearwardly of the top platen 16 is a water-cooled drive sectional viewthrough diagrammatical side view roller 18, and forwardly of the topplaten is a semicylindrical guide bar 19 corresponding to the guide bar8. Above the guide bar and drive roller, to define therewith the cornerof a rectangle, is a pair of guide rollers 20, and between the guide bar19 and one of the guide rollers 26 is a skewing roller 21 correspondingto the roller II. A casting band Ill, identical to the casting bandwhich passes over the bottom platen 5, is wrapped about the driveroller, guide rollers, and guide bar. By reason of the fact that theupper platen 16 is shorter than the lower platen 5, the guide rollers 20are spaced a further distance from the upper platen 16 than the guiderollers 9 with respect to the bottom platen 5, so that identical castingbands 19 may be used.

The frame structure 13 may be provided with a counterweight 22 and asuitable tilting screw 23 for the purpose of moving the upper platen 16and its associated assembly between the solid and broken line positionsshown in FIGURE 1.

Suitably supported by brackets 24 rearwardly of the bottom platen andassociated assembly is a pair of frame structures 25, indicatedfragmentarily in FIGURE 3, which supports a pair of edge castingassemblies 26 adapted to be pivoted between the solid and broken linepositions indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 8, More particularly, asshown best in FIGURES 4, 5, 6, and 7, each edge casting assembly 26includes a sprocket wheel 27a and guide wheel 27b around which passes achain 28.

The sprocket and guide wheels 27a and 27b have vertical axes, and theaxis of the rear or sprocket wheel 27a may coincide with the axis ofrotation of the frame structure 25 on the corresponding mounting bracket24. The forward wheel 27b of each edge casting assembly 26 is locatedslightly forward of the bottom platen 5. The plane defined by the wheels27a and 27b and chain 28 of each assembly lies between the lower andupper casting bands.

Each chain 28 is provided with a series of edge casting segments 29 soconnected to the links of the chain that when the chain is straight theends of the segments are in contiguous relation with each other. One ofthe reaches of each chain is so positioned that the segments 29 carriedthereon may pass between the upper and lower casting bands.

Extending between the wheels 27a and 27b of each assembly 26 is abridging frame 30 having a retainer channel 31 adapted to receive atrack bar 32, which bears against the backside of the correspondingchain 28 to guide the edge casting segments 29 between the casting bands10. The edge bar is backed by set screws 34-, and its surfaceconfronting the chain is contoured so that with proper adjustment of theset screws the edge casting segments 29 may be moved inwardly so as topass between the forward and rearward wheels 27a and 27b to compensatefor lateral shrinkage of the metal cast therebetween.

In order to facilitate the use of the track bar 32, the chains 28 are ofthe type having rollers 35 which ride on the edge of the track bar. Inaddition, the chains may be provided with lugs 36 which overlie andunderlie the track bar, as shown best in FIGURE 6. One or more of theset screws 34 may project into mating sockets in the track bar 32 so asto restrain the track bar against longitudinal displacement.

Forwardly of the guide bar 8 is a cross bar 37 to which is Welded alower nozzle block clamp 38 adapted to cooperate with an upper nozzleblock clamp 39 to secure a nozzle block 40 therebetween. The ends of theclamps 38 and 39 confronting the lower and upper guide bars 8 and 19 arebeveled to clear the casting bands 10. The nozzle block 40 is formed ofsuitable heat-resistant material, such as a ceramic material, and isadapted to extend between the casting bands at the region in which thecasting bands move onto their respective platens and are in parallelrelation.

The nozzle block 44 is approximately equal in thickness to the thicknessof the band of metal to be cast, and is provided with a series ofaxially extending passages 41. The passages near the lateral ends of thenozzle block 40 may diverge so that molten metal may be distributeduniformly across the casting bands. The nozzle block is located slightlyrearward of the forward wheels 27b of the edge casting assemblies 26, asindicated in FIGURE 4.

Forwardly of the nozzle block 40' is a reservoir 42 having a suitablenozzle 43 which may be brought into registry with the nozzle block 4b,as indicated in FIG- URE 2. Molten metal is supplied in any conventionalmanner to the reservoir 4-2 and discharged through the nozzle 43 andnozzle block 4Q into the space between the casting bands It and the edgecasting segments 29. If desired, a coolant tube 44 may be provided underthe lower clamp 38 to minimize warping of the lower clamp, as shown inFIGURE 2.

Located rearwardly of the mounting brackets 24, that is rearwardly ofthe drive roller 7, is a feed control unit 45. The feed control unitincludes framework which supports a set of lower rolls 46 and a set ofupper rolls 47. These rolls are so adjusted as to grip opposite surfacesof the cast metal and withdraw the solid metal as it emerges frombetween the casting bands. Edge rolls 48 are provided to effect lateraladjustment of the solid cast metal passing between the rolls 46 and 47.

The lower and upper casting units include respectively the bottom platen5, top platen l6, edge casting assembly 26, and feed control unit andare synchronized in their operations by suitable drive means, indicatedin part in FIGURE 1, and may be located at one side of the base frame 1.For purposes of illustration, however, reference is made to thediagrammatical view shown in FIG- URE 9.

The drive means includes a motor 49 which supplies power to a speedcontrol means 50 having suitable output drives 5-1, 52, and 53 leadingrespectively to the feed control unit 45, lower drive roller 9, andupper drive roller 18. In addition, an output drive, which includes thebevel gears 54 shown in FIGURE 3, operates the rear sprocket wheels ofthe edge casting assemblies 26. The speeds of the various drives are socoordinated by conventional means that the casting belts and edgecasting segments move at essentially the same speed, and the feedcontrol unit 45 is adjusted to remove the cast material at the properrate to minimize tensile or compression loads on the material as it isbeing cast.

It is essential to the operation of the machine that the casting bands10 be formed of 'woven material capable of contracting, bothlongitudinally and transversely, in correspondence with the shrinkage ofthe metal as it cools from its molten state to its fully solid state.

It has been found that, for the purposes of casting aluminum, glasscloth may be used as the material comprising the casting bands. This istrue even though the glass cloth would soften or weaken if heated to thetemperature of the molten aluminum. In practice this does not occurbecause of the contact between the glass cloth and the cooled platen.

In other words, although the glass cloth has insulation properties,nevertheless it is capable of conducting heat at a sufiicie-nt rate toprevent destruction of the surface in contact with the molten metal. Inpractice, a single glass cloth belt may last for a continuous run ofseveral days duration without replacement. The glass cloth is inherentlysufficiently inexpensive to warrant its replacement at the end of eachnormal run.

The insulation properties of the glass clot-h diffuse the heat from themolten metal to the chilled platen to the extent that the platen isprotected from excessive temperature shock, and consequently the life ofthe platen is greatly extended. The fixed platens reach a stable andconstant state of temperature gradient during the casting run, and arenot subject to alternate heating and cooling as in the case of thecasting bands.

The Woven fabric offers a particular advantage over a solid or sheetmetal band, platen, or roll shell. When such metal band, or the like, isheated on one side and cooled on the other, or a temperaturedifferential is set up, the hot side expands relative to the cool side,and because of its rigid nature the band will raise or buckle away fromthe cool side. This does not happen with a flexible woven fabric.

Furthermore, if the metal band is restrained against buckling, or if themember is a heavily reinforced platen or roll, the surface still expandsand the surface is put into compression. If the surface is repeatedlyheated and cooled, thermal fatigue and surface cracking or crazingresults. This does not happen with the use of a flexible woven fabric.

A still further important feature resulting from the use of a wovenfabric is, that it is free to contract or shrink in precise correlationwith the shrinkage of the metal as it passes from the molten to itsfully solid state. The metal, which does not wet the woven material,bridges over the interstices and, apparently, effects a superficialmechanical interlocking with the surface, so that as each unit of metalcorresponding to the distance between adjacent strands of the wovenmaterial shrinks, the strands readily move closer together withoutimparting tensile loads on the metal being cast. This is particularlyimportant during the critical stage wherein the metal is essentially ina semisolid state and almost devoid of tensile strength. At thiscritical stage, any resistance to shrinkage of the metal will result inimproper bonding of the crystals of the metal. In fact, to obtain thisunrestrained shrinkage of the metal has been one of the major problemsencountered in the use of the conventional casting machine.

In order to visualize the shrinkage of the woven material which occursboth longitudinally and transversely, reference is made to FIGURE 12. Inshrinking, the strands individually do not change in dimension, but thespace between the strands decreases. It is not necessary that thematerial comprising the strands shrink in proportion to the shrinkage ofthe cast metal, for the reason that the reduction in space between thestrands merely increases slightly the corrugations of the individualstrands. No appreciable work is required to accomplish this; therefore,no appreciable resistance to shrinkage is transmitted from the wovenmaterial to the cast metal. Correlation of the shrinkage of the wovenmaterial and the cast metal is probably enhanced by the fact that themetal in bridging between the strands effects a superficial mechanicalinterlock as represented by the undulations A of the cast metal B shownin FIGURE 13.

While a wide range of glass cloth may be utilized for the casting bands,one commercial grade of cloth used, because it is readily available, isapproximately .0067 in average thickness, and has 32 strands per inch inone direction and 42 strands per inch in the transverse direction.glass.

It should be understood, however, that other weaves of glass cloth maybe used. In fact, depending upon the nature of the metal being cast,woven metal fabric may be used. It is essential, of course, thatwhatever material is used for the fabric it must be unwettable by thematerial being cast. In the use of metal fabric, the metal may have anoxide coating or may be of such an alloy as to resist wetting.

While it has been found satisfactory to use a casting band solely ofwoven material, it is possible touse a laminated casting band having anouter layer of woven material and an inner layer of sheet material, asshown in FIGURE 14. In this case, the outer layer 16a may Each strand,of course, comprises many fibers of be glass cloth or other fabric,whereas the inner layer 16b may be formed of sheet metal. The sheetmetal in effect becomes a moving platen, and in practice its undersidemay be in direct contact with a coolant. Inasmuch as thin metal bandsare even more subject to thermal shock than a heavy platen, the functionof the woven material, particularly if this be a material havinginsulation qualities such as glass cloth, is highly desirable.

Due to the fact that the metal tends to shrink the casting hands it?laterally, during the casting operation, it is desirable to utilize aconventional means for effecting lateral stretching of the castingbands. t is a conventional practice to provide, in machinery utilizingfabric conveyor bands, or the like, special rollers which are grooved orotherwise arranged to wipe laterally on the cloth to effect this result.

One means of accomplishing this is illustrated in FIG- URES 10 and 11.This means consists essentially in providing rudimentary or shallowgrooves 55 on the guide bars 8 and 19. The grooves are directedhelically in a right and left direction from the center of the guidebars so as to exert a lateral wiping force on the casting bands It asthey pass thereover. It should be noted, however, that glass cloth hasinherently a degree of elasticity which in itself tends to function in amanner to effect lateral spreading of the fiber glass cloth, once it isfreed from the shrinking effect of the metal.

it is highly desirable that the surfaces of the platens be as flat aspossible under operating conditions. Even though water cooled, somewarping or bowing of the sides receiving heat from the metal occurs.While this may be, in theory, compensated for by initiallyhollow-grinding the surfaces, it is difiicult to accomplish in practice.Compensation also may be accomplished by placement of strip heaters 56below and above the platens 5 and 16, respectively. These heaters expandthe remote sides of the platen in correspondence with expansion of theproximal sides thereof. By adjusting the heat supplied and judiciouslydetermining the placement of the strip heaters, satisfactorycompensation is achieved so that the cross section of the material beingcast may be accurately controlled.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details ofthe construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications,and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as comewithin the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for casting metals in the form of a continuous sheet ofsubstantially greater Width than thickness, comprising:

a. a horizontal platen having a flat upper surface defining a wide sideof a mold cavity;

b. means for cooling said cavity;

c. a woven casting cloth band overlying said platen, said casting clothbeing formed of strands that are resistant to damage by the hightemperature of the molten metal and non-wettable thereby, and also beinglimp and flexible, whereby the weight of the molten metal filling themold cavity presses the casting cloth down into good, heat-conductingcontact with said platen;

(I. said casting cloth having interstices and surface irregularitiesthat are impressed upon the surface of the metal when the metalsolidifies, whereby the casting cloth is frictionally adhered to thesurface of the metal and caused to contract with the metal as the metalshrinks transversely during solidification and cooling;

6. and means for advancing said casting cloth at a uniform rate.

2. A machine for casting metals in the form of a continuous sheet ofsubstantially greater width than thickness, comprising:

a. a horizontal platen having a flat upper surface defining a wide sideof a mold cavity;

b. means for cooling said cavity;

0. a woven casting cloth band overlying said platen, said casting clothbeing formed of strands that are resistant to damage by the hightemperature of the molten metal and non-wettable thereby, and also beinglimp and flexible, whereby the weight of the molten metal filling themold cavity presses the metal and caused to contract with the metal asthe metal shrinks during solidification and cooling;

. means for advancing said cloth :bands at a uniform rate in the samedirection for continuous entrance of said cloth bands into said moldcavity;

7. a pair of edge dams disposed between said cloth bands and alsobetween said platens inwardly from the side edges of said cloth bandsand platens there by to define the narrow sides of the mold cavity;

casting cloth down into good, heat-conducting con- 10 .g. the sidemargins of said cloth bands being free to tact 'with said platen; slidebetween said edge dams and the adjacent platen a. said casting clothhaving interstices and surface surfaces so as to allow the cloth bandsto draw inirregularities that are impressed upon the surface wandly asthey are contracted in width by shrinkage of the metal when the metalsolidifies, whereby the of the cooling metal; l

casting cloth is frictionally adhered to the surface h. and means forflattening out and smoothing said of the metal and caused to contractwith the metal as the metal shrinks transversely during solidificationand cooling;

e. means for advancing said casting cloth at a unif. a pair of travelingedge dams disposed inwardly from the opposite side edges of said platenand overlying the side margins of said casting cloth to define thenarrow sides of the mold cavity;

g. said edge dams advancing with said casting cloth before againentering said mold cavity.

cloth bands to their normal uncontracted width hefore again enteringsaid mold cavity. 5. A machine for casting metals in the form of acontinuous sheet of substantially greater width than thickness,

form rate; 2 comprising:

1. and a pair of edge dams disposed inwardly from a. a pair of opposedhorizontal fixed platens having the opposite side edges of said platenand overlying flat parallel confronting surfaces defining the wide theside margins of said casting cloth to define the sides of a horizontalmold cavity; narrow sides of the mold cavity; b. a pair of travelingedge dams disposed along the g. said edge dams following the edge of thecast metal side margins of said platens to define the narrow sides asthe latter shrinks transversely and said casting of said mold cavity;cloth correspondingly contracts in width. 0. means for cooling saidplatens;

A machine for Casting metals in the form of a d. a pair of endless wovencloth bands covering said continuous sheet of substantially greaterwidth than thickplatens, the side margins of said cloth bands beingness, comprising: interposed between and freely slidable with respect a.a horizontal platen having a flat upper surface to said platens and edgedams to permit free longidefining a wide side of a mold cavity; tudinaltravel and transverse contraction of the cloth b. means for cooling saidcavity; bands with respect to the surface of the platens;

c. an endless woven casting cloth band overlying said 6. said loth b dbeing formed of strands that are platen, Said g 610th being fofmfld 0fStrands resistant to damage by the high temperature of that areffisistan'i damage y the high p molten metal and non-wettable thereby,and also beture of the molt n metal and ll n-w i a y, ing limp andflexible, whereby the force exerted by and also being limp and flexible,whereby the weight molten metal filling the mold cavity presses thecloth of molten metal filling the mold cavity pr ss s the bands intogood, heat-conducting contact with said Sting 010th dOWIl into good,heat-Conducting C011- 40 platens, said cloth bands initially forming atempotact with said platen; rary skin for the principal surfaces of themolten (I. said casting cloth having interstices and surface m t l, dreadily tm tibl th rewith to prevent irregularities that are impressedupon the s establishment of tension stress in the metal during 0f the meal when he m t l s li fi whereby the its transition from the molten tothe solid state; Casting cloth is friction-ally adher'id the SurfaceV 1. means for advancing said cloth bands and said travelof the metaland caused to contract with the metal j edgg d over id platens t a if rr t iasthe metal shrinks transversely during solidification d i th samedi ti and cooling; g. and means for flattening out and smoothing said e.means for advancing said casting cloth at a uniform 1 h b d to h inormal gt d idth b rate for continuous entry into said mold cavity; foreagain entering said mold cavity.

6. A machine for casting metals in the form of a continuous sheet ofsubstantially greater width than thickness, comprising:

a. a pair of opposed horizontal fixed platens having flat confrontingsurfaces;

and converging along the line of travel thereof by 50 means f coolingSaid platens; an am u subsiafllally fiqllal to the contraction c. a pairof endless woven cloth bands having reaches Width of the casting cloth;covering said platens;

ha d means flattefllng out and Smoothmg (I. said cloth bands beingformed of strands that are casting cloth band to 1ts normal uncontractedwidth resistant to damage by the high temperature f molten metal andnon-wettable thereby, and also being limp and flexible, whereby theforce exerted by molten metal filling the mold cavity presses the clothhands into good, heat-conducting contact with said platens, said clothbands initially forming a temporary skin for the principal surfaces ofthe molten metal, and readily contractible therewith to preventestablishment of tension stress in the metal during its transition fromthe molten to the solid state; e. a pair of endless edge dams havingreaches disposed between the margins of said cloth bands; means foradvancing said cloth bands and edge dams in unison;

said cloth bands being frictionally adhered to the surface of the metaland caused to contract in width 4. A machine for casting metals in theform of a continuous sheet of substantially greater width thanthickness, comprising:

a. a pair of opposed spaced platens having parallel flat surfacesdefining the wide sides of a mold cavity;

b. means for cooling said platens;

c. a pair of endless Woven cloth bands overlying said flat surfaces ofsaid platens and slidable relative thereto, said cloth bands beingformed of strands that are resistant to damage by the high temperatureof the molten metal and non-wettable thereby;

d. said cloth bands having interstices and surface irregularities thatare impressed upon the surface of the metal while the metal is stillplastic, whereby the 5' cloth is frictionally adhered to the surface ofthe with the metal as the metal shrinks transversely duringsolidification and cooling; h. the side margins of said cloth bandsbeing free to slide between said edge dams and the adjacent platensurfaces so as to allow the cloth bands to draw inwardly as they arecontracted in width by shrinkage of the cooling metal;

'. said edge dams converging along the line of travel by an amountsubstantially equal to the contraction in width of the casting cloth;

'. and means for flattening out and smoothing said cloth bands to theirnormal uncontracted width before again entering said mold cavity.

. A machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein: a feed spout extends intothe entrance end of said mold cavity between said cloth bands and edgedams, said spout being spaced from said platens to provide slidingengagement therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS315,045 Lyman Apr. 7, 1885 2,639,490 Brennan May 26, 1953 2,640,235Hazelett June 2, 1953 2,852,821 Pond Sept. 23, 1958 2,973,563 Leaberryet al. Mar. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,105 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1908108,184 Australia Aug. 6, 1939 383,313 Italy Oct. 2, 1940

1. A MACHINE FOR CASTING METALS IN THE FORM OF A CONTINUOUS SHEET OFSUBSTANTIALLY GREATER WIDTH THAN THICKNESS, COMPRISING: A. A HORIZONTALPLATEN HAVING A FLAT UPPER SURFACE DEFINING A WIDE SIDE OF A MOLDCAVITY; B. MEANS FOR COOLING SAID CAVITY; C. A WOVEN CASTING CLOTH BANDOVERLYING SAID PLATEN, SAID CASTING CLOTH BEING FORMED OF STRANDS THATARE RESISTANT TO DAMAGE BY THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE MOLTEN METAL ANDNON-WETTABLE THEREBY, AND ALSO BEING LIMP AND FLEXIBLE, WHEREBY THEWEIGHT OF THE MOLTEN METAL FILLING THE MOLD CAVITY PRESSES THE CASTINGCLOTH DOWN INTO GOOD, HEAT-CONDUCTING CONTACT WITH SAID PLATEN;